Intro
Reach & Withdraw can be done in a formal session with a practitioner or solo, or it can be done outside of a formal setting. All can be very beneficial. Let's look at it in a formal session, addressing a hot (charged and triggered to some extent) topic:
Reach: On the Reach command, "Reach to your topic", one simply intentionally directs one's attention — however lightly — to wherever in the topic it is being attracted. It means sort of mentally feel for it a bit, look at a bit of it, get a bit nearer to it or contact it in some way. Get as close to it as you can without pushing it too much. When you have done this it helps to mark it by saying something aloud, maybe “yes”.
Withdraw: On the Withdraw command, "Withdraw from your topic", one intentionally removes one's attention — however slightly — from the topic to anything else, maybe the room or one's hand. Sort of mentally back away from it, put your attention on something else, get further away from it in some way. Even if you already sort of bounced off your topic after a fleeting touch on the "Reach" step, still try and get further away from it on this "Withdraw" step — don't simply go "I already did it." Again, when you have done this it helps to mark it by saying something aloud, like “yes”.
This is simple to do with an uncharged topic, maybe an average breakfast, but much tougher with something hot. Typically something hot can be hard to put one's attention on, and then once it is triggered it is really sticky and hard to take one's attention off.
Repeat until done
These steps repeat (Reach, Withdraw, Reach etc) for as long as appropriate. This might be three repeats or a thousand. If this is being done in a formal PaulsRobot session, one has the option of switching among three techniques to address one's topic (Reach & Withdraw, 6-Direction, Rogerian) at any point. Normally one would end the session when the topic has cooled off and it feels right to do so.
Physical Reach & Withdraw
It can be done on “hot” objects or spaces too. Maybe one had a bad accident in another town or state even, and has stayed away ever since. To desensitize this using Reach & Withdraw, one would Reach by getting as close as one can get without pushing it too much. Maybe drive a few blocks in that direction until it starts to get too uncomfortable. To Withdraw, one drives away. Rinse and repeat, getting closer each time. It might take five trips the same day, it might take a hundred spread over years. It is important that this is all at your choice, and not by someone else forcing you to go along against your will.
Maybe one is tired of being afraid of spiders. First get hold of something physical, maybe photographs of spiders, maybe a tiny spider in a jar, maybe a bigger one. Reach by getting as close as you can tolerate to it (look at it or even a small part of it, or walk closer to it, or reach out your hand towards it, etc). Withdraw by getting further away. Rinse and repeat until done.
Rub & Yawn
It seems that Rub & Yawn will help the discharge of any hot topic, whichever procedure is being used. So use it at the same time as the Reach & Withdraw steps. Read these blog posts first if you haven't already done so:
https://steemit.com/spirituality/@yawnguy/rub-and-yawn-is-a-simple-stress-release-tool
https://steemit.com/life/@yawnguy/how-to-blow-your-socks-off-with-rub-and-yawn
https://steemit.com/howto/@yawnguy/getting-rid-of-those-bad-vibes
https://steemit.com/success/@yawnguy/the-8-tips-of-rub-and-yawn
https://steemit.com/session/@yawnguy/rub-and-yawn-faq-and-glossary
Shutting down
Pay special attention to Rub & Yawn Tip #6 re Shutting Down (suddenly feeling groggy, falling asleep as a result of contacting a hot topic) and its instant remedy (Stand up! Touch stuff vigorously, stamp your feet, bang the table etc until you're no longer groggy).
Lightest approach
Reach & Withdraw is the lightest possible approach to a hot topic, as there is a vast gradient between the barest touch and a total immersion, all under one's own control.
Questions?
Feel free to ask questions in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer them for you.
Free sessions
To get free online fully-personalized stress-release sessions 24/7, see the links below.
Disclaimer
I am not a licensed practitioner in your area, and no longer give personal sessions. My works, designed for normal people and not clinical cases or the dysfunctional, treat you as a spiritual being and not mere flesh and blood. Use my free websites and videos at your own risk.
Index of my main Steemit blog posts
Table gives post number, title/link, brief notes about content.
Links to some of my stress-release sites
Yawnguy YouTube videos: Entry level. Since 2007, I deliver sessions directly to you by video on your custom topics. Start with Rub & Yawn 1/3.
YawnMachine.com: Entry level. Mobile-friendly. Text-based Rub & Yawn sessions.
PaulsRobot.com: Entry level (more or less). Mobile-friendly. More options to address your own topics. Sessions use three different Rub & Yawn techniques (Reach & Withdraw, 6-Direction, Rogerian). Includes theory and explanations.
RubAndYawn.com: Entry-level. Mobile friendly. Theory/explanations only, no session delivery.
PaulsRobot3.com: Advanced level. Desktop site. Delivers sessions on your custom topics. 3375 session pages in 31 onsite modules, using over 16 different techniques, none of them simply “talking about it”. Includes all relevant theory.
PaulsRobot2.com: Advanced level. Mobile-friendly. Experimental. PaulsRobot functionality but through icons instead of words. Includes automated session record. Video intro.
Yawnguy.com: Entry level. Desktop site. Links to my other sites. Over 100 testimonials. Includes roll-your-own audio session templates.
Facebook: My FB account, not used much.
Twitter: I have @yawnguy, @paulsrobot, @rubandyawn accounts, now coming out of hibernation since 2009.